Dredge-anchor.



No. 800,267. PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

W.- GLIFFORD.

DREDGE ANCHOR.

APPLIUATION FILE? MAR. 27. 1905.

INVENTOR.

amuZT/Ja/fim -ATTORNEY.

Gag-n1 WILLIAM CLIFFORD, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

. DREDG'EI-ANCHOR,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, woe.

Applioationfiled March 27, 1905. Serial No. 252,115.

1'0 all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CLIFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new andsuseful Improvements in Dredge-Anchors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to dredge-anchors, and has for its object the provision of an anchor having a foot which willform a broad support for the anchor post or spud, and which will take firm hold of the-submarine ground, and which may be-lifted without excessive resistance from the water or suction by mud.

It consists, in combination with an anchor post or spud, of a transversely-extending plate or flanged collar, bolted to said post at or near the lower end thereof, and two wingplates pivotally bolted to said post at or near its said lower end and adapted to open upwardly against'the upper said plate.

It also consists of such other constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion 'of a dredgeanchor post, showing my invention. Fig. 2is

a plan view of said invention, showing theanchor-post in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of my said inven tion across. the axis of said bolt, and Fig. 4 is a central vertical section along the axis of said bolt.

In the drawings, lis an anchor-post such as is commonly used to anchor 'dredges, to which.

I secure by any suitable means, as by the bolt 2, a plate 3, preferably ribbed, as at 3. Beneath said upper plate I hinge to said post in any suitable manner and by any suitable means, preferably by said bolt 2, extending therethrough, a pair'of folding or wing members of any suitable construction, as 4 and 5, which are adapted to swing upwardly on their hinge and facially contact with the upper said plate when said anchor rests upon or in the submarine ground. These wings are adapted to form a substantial resistance to the upward pressure of the mud and are of greater area than said upper plate and by reason of their contact with the said upper plate are limited as to their upward swing. It is thus obvious that great downward pressure maybe exerted upon said post or upper plate without forcing said foot any great distance, if at all, into thesolid earth or sand. The central passage for said post through said upper plate or 001- contact with said post. When it is desired to raise said anchor, lifting power is applied to the post in the usual manner well known to the art and not thought necessaryto be more particularly described herein. Such operation'has heretofore been attended with considerable difliculty in starting the anchor on account of the great suction established beneath the anchor-foot by the. mud. In my device above referred to this excessive suction is avoided by the downward swing of the, said wings as the lifting strain 1s put upon 1 the anchor, which wings are thus drawn from the earth at an angle instead of flatly upward. I do not, however, desire to be restricted to foot members of the specific contours or designs illustrated norto the specific style of hinge shown for securing said foot .on the several members thereof in position, as these features are obviously capable of some alteration or modification within the spirit and scope of my said invention.

, Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, is'- 1. In adredge-anchor, the combination with an anchor-post, of a foot comprising a plate or flanged collar secured to said post at or near the lower end thereof and adapted to rock thereon, wing members hinged to said post and extending below said plate and adapted in operative position to swing upward into facial contact with said plate or flanged collar and in retracted position to swing away from said plate or flanged collar at an angle thereto, j

2. In a dredge-anchor, the combination with I an anchor-post, of a ribbed flange member secured to said post at or near the lower end thereof, ribbed members hinged to said post and extending below said flange member and adapted inoperative position to swing upward into facial contact with said flange member, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a post of a flange member pivotally secured thereto, wing members pivotally secured to said flange member andextending below the same and adapted in operative position to swing upward against said flange member and in retracted position to swing downward at an angle to said flange member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CLIFFORD.

Witnesses:

J AMES T. WATSON, VELLINGTON M. BLEWETT. 

